Carton-feeding machine



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lCARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed Orsi. l2. 1925 16 Sheets-Shee'rl 1 mi idg Lrg,

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1,625,057 J.M.sHNUR ETAL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed oct. 12. 1925 16 sheets-sheet 4 April 19, 1927. 1,625,057

J. M. SCHNUR ET AL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Fied Oct. 12. 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 19, 1927.

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J. M. SCHNUR ET AL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet '7 April 19, 1927.

J. M. SCHNUR ET AL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed O Ch. l2. 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 1,625,057 APH] 19 1927 J. M. sol-NUR ET A1.

CARTON FEEDI NG MACHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1925 16 Sheets-SheeLQ I if' J. M. EQHNUR ET AL CARTON FEEDNGv MACHINE April. 19, 11927a 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed 061;. l2. 1925 J. Ev'. CHNUR ET AL.,

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April 19 1927' .1.v M. vSgn-umm ET AL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed oet. 12. 1925 -1,5 shets-sh9et 14 faim Ff l 625,057 Apl ma m2 .1. M. SCHNUR ET AL CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed oct. 12. 1925 16 sheets-snm 1s Filed Oct. 1241925 16 SheetS-Sheet 16 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFI'C JQSPII M. SCHNUBJ, FRANK KESSELRING, JACOB SCHNUR, AND STEVEN JONISGIK, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO' KATHERINE SCHNFR, AS TRUSTEE, OF GHI- CAGO, ILLINOIS'.

CARTON-FEEDING MACHINE.

Application led. October 12, 1925. Serial No. 61.955.

Our invention relates to a carton feeding machine, and has for an object to provide such a machine which will feed the top carton or blank 'from a stack of Cartons or blanks and` will successively elevate the remaining cartons into position.

Another object is to provide means for adjusting the elevating mechanism so as to elevate the carrying means with the cai-tons thereon to a minute traction oi' an inehand to the exact thickness oi the carton.

A 'further object is to provide suction mechanismwith blowing means for lifting the top carton or blank away from the stack of cartons or blanks.

Another object is to provide supporting and guiding means for supporting said top carton after it is lifted, and for discharging it from the machine.

Another object is to provide a trarnev comprising a plurali-ty ot sections or carriers for carrying separate stacks of cartons or blanks, one ot which sections or carrie-rs will be operated in discharging blanks,` while the other sections or carriers are at rest and lillled or in position tobe filled dii-ring the opera-tion of the machine.

A further obj-ect is to provide means for rotating` the frame to bring one section or carrier at a time in exact position for discharging cartons and to positively hold the trame and sections in position during the discharging oit said cartons.

And another object is to provide means 'for automatically releasing the frame and 'for swinging the same when the last carton is removed from the discliarging section or carrier.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists inthe combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter de scribed andl claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings lowei half oi the: invention,

Fig. a is a plan view of the parts in Fig. 2,

.show

Fig. is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5.-5 of Fig. 2,. showing the parts illustrated in said Fig. 2,

Fig. G is a horizont-al sectional view, slightly reduced,` taken on line 6-6 oi' Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on. line 7-7 of Fig. 3,V

Fig. 8 is a vertical crosssectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3,

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged vertical crosssectional views taken respectively on lines 9--9- and lite-10 of Fig. 7,

Fig. ll'is an enlarged elevationaldetail view taken on line 11i-11 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 12 is anenlarged vertical cross-seetional view taken on line 12--12 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 13 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 13-13- of Fig. 1i is an enlarged vertical cross-sec'- tional view taken on` line 14-14 of Fig. 5, showing the carton supporting and discharging mechanism,

Fig. 15 is an enlarged Vfragmentary horizontal section ot' the mechanism shown in Fig. 14:,

Fig. 16y is an elevational view of the mechanisme shown in Fig. 15,

Fig. l? is an enlarged plan view of the clutch, as seen on line 1'7-177 of Fig. 1,

Y Fig. 18 is a side elevational view, on a smaller scale of theclutch mechanism shown in Fig. 17,

Figs. 19, 2O and 21 are vertical sectional views thereof, taken respectively on lines raaf), fio-2o, and si-ai of rig. 18.

. Fig. 22 is a horizontal. sectional view taken on line 22-22 ot Fig. 131; and

Fig. 23' is an enlarged side view of the earn means for operating the suction device.

rElie form of construction illustrated in the drawings comprises a base member or supporting member from the forward part oi' which extend a pair ot' uprights 31 and 32, and from the outwardly extending side portions of which extend a pairv of uprights 33 and 3i which are bent inward-'ly at their upper parts,` as best shown in Figs.. 1, 5 and 6. The upper parts oi' uprights 3l and 33 are connected by means of an upper supporting member 35, and the upper ends of thev uprights 32 and 34 are connected by an upper supporting CJI member 36. Cross bars 37 and 33 conneet the members and 36 at the front of the frame, and a cross bar 39 connects said members at the rear of the frame. Longitudinal supporting bars and .t1 connect cross bars 37 and 39. A bracket 42 rests on cross bar 37 and a bracket L.t3 rests on supporting member 36 and is provided with a bearing sleeve le at its upper end, and a main drive shaft 15 rotates in said bearing sleeve and in a bearing 35 at the upper part of connecting member 35, a driving sprocket 4:6 being fastened to said shaft and actuated by a chain l17 (see Figs. 1 and 4t), which is driven by any suitable power means (not shown).

The base member or supporting member 30 is provided with a slot 30 in which rests a bearing block L13 provided with a thrust disc 'd'9 on which rests and rotates a vertical drive shaft 50. rlfhis bearing block is ad"| ustably mounted. in said slot and frame, as by the use of bolts 51 and bolt holes 51 (see Fig. 7) or in any appropriate manner. rllhe shaft has keyed thereto an upper frame 52 and a lower frame 53, the upper frame being grovided with diagonal arms 52 each carrying a triangular frame 52 at its outer end; while the lower frame.53 is provided with diagonal arms 53, each carrying at its outer end a triangular fram-e 53, as best indicated in Figs. 6 and 8, these diagonal arms and triangular frames being connected with ver tical guide bars or plates 54. Said frames 52 and 53 are further provided with cross arms or bars 55 at the top, and with cross arms 56 at the bottom respectively. A threaded shaft 57 is rotatably mounted with its smooth ends in the ends of each companion pair of upper and lower cross arms 55 and 56, each shaft being driven by a pinion 53 at. its lower end and having a hinged nut mounted on the threads of said shaft, which nut comprises parts 59 and 60 swingable apart to release the threads on said shaft, and held engaged on the threads of said shaft by means of a lever 61 with a slot 61 engaging on a lug 61". On each part 59 of the nut is fastened a car-iting 62 lat-like in form, on which rests a supporting plate 63 upon which the stack of cartons is placed.

The means for feeding the carton blanks comprises the horizontal shaft (see Fig. 1) having a bevelled gear 611 fastened thereon and driving a bevelled gear 65 on a shaft 66 rotating in upper and lower bearings 67 on upright- 31. On the lower end of shaft 66 is fastened a bevelled gear 63 meshing with bevelled gear 69 on stud shaft 70 which is rotatable in upright 31, and held in position by a pair of collars 71.

rlhe feeding means comprises adjustable eccentric means 72 (see Figs. 3, 7 and 11) provided with a T-slot 7 3 having a block 74rwith a `l"head slidable therein and held positively adjusted in position by a pair of set screws 75, threaded in ca 3s 7 6 at the ends of ccentric means 72. il link 77, which is adjust-able for length, is pivoted on block 71- by stud bolt 73 and is connected by a stud bolt 79 to a crank arin 30 which is rotatably mounted on a hub 31 pinned to a horizontal shaft 32 which is journalled in a pair of bearings 33 on base 30, andheld in position by collars 33 thereon. A bolt 79 on said crank arm carries a pawl 3lwhich engages a ratchet fastened to or integral with hub 81, the crank arm 80 being held. in position on hub 81 by a collar 36 which ispinned en said hub. ily adjusting the screws and tl'iereby controlling block in groove 73 the effect of the eccentric means and the throw of rod 77 can be varied from one tooth on ratchet 35 to any 'required number of teeth thereon, so as to suit the particular thickness of carton blank which is beingl fed by the machine, even though this carton blank is only one-thousandth of an inch. Y

The horizontal shaft S2 carries a bevelled gear 37 at its inner end which meshes with a bevelled gear 33 on a shaft S9 which is lioni'- nalled in a pair of bearings and has a bevelled gear 91 slidably mounted thereon and rotatable therewith. An operating lever 92 engages sleeve 91 en bevelled gear 91 and is Iulcrumed on a stud screw 93, said lever being adapted to dis-.engage gear 91 from gear 58. A spring 911 normally holds gear 91 engaged with bevelled gear which provided on the bottom of screw shaft 57 to rotate said shaft and elevate the carton carrying platform 63, so to feed the cartons one at a time from the platform which is in the discharging position, or the position indicated at tle right-hand side of Figs. 3 and 6.

The means for lifting the top carton away from the stack of cartons comprises a suction mechanism (see Figs. 4l, 5, 12 and 13) which includes a frame 95 with side bars 96 thereon slidable in guide posts 97 which eX- tend upwardly from the longitudinal supporting bars Z10 and 11. Said frame has a yoke or arched member 93 mounted thereon and provided with Va top lug` 98 to which is pivoted a vertical link 99 (see Figs. 1, 2 and l) which is pivoted to a rocking lever 100 fulcrumed by a pin 101 on a bracket arm 102 mounted on a bracket 103 fastened on supporting bars 40 and Ll1. The other end of rocking lever 100 has a slot 104 which carries a pivot pin 105 provided on a forked arm 106 (see 2 and provided with forks 107 which slidably engage over the main drive shaft 4,5. Said arm 106 carries a cam roller 103 moving in a cam groove 109 on cam wheel 110 which is keved 'to said shaft 45. Said suction mechanism with its frame 95 is thus reciprocated vertically in UPI ` suitable thrust bearings 'Lese-,oer

guide bars 97. A fan housing 111 is mounted on the lower` side of frame (ses Figs. 12 and 13), said housing' having an inlet chamber 112, fromthe bottom of which extend a plurality of suction tubes 113 Which With said frame are movable downwardly so that their lower ends extend close to the upper carton on the stack, each tube being pret'- erably arranged so ras to extend near to the corner of the top cartonv on the section or platform 63. A fan 114e is mounted in housing 111 and has air inlet openings 115 for passage of air from chamber 112, said air then flowing through a plurality of side pockets 116 in the fan, and into an intake 117 of pipe 118 mounted in the side of fan housing 111. The pipe is supported in a. bracket 119 supported on the frame 95, and the lower end 118 of said pipe 118 slides in a chamber 120 provided in a casting 121 bolted onto members and 38. The middle of this casting 121 receives the upper end 50 of vertical shaft` to rotate therein. A discharge tube 122 leads from chamber 120, and has a curved end 122 which extends to the edge of the several upper cartons (53 sup ported on platform G3.

The means provided for driving lthe fan comprises a motor 123 rotatable in a motor housing 12aiv (see Fig. 12) which is mounted on ribs of frame The shaft 125 of .raid motor carries the fan 1141. pinned there to, and said shaft is preferably supported on 126. The movement of *rocker arm A10() reciprocates the suetion mechanism including the suction tubes 113 which in their lowered position substantially engage the top of the upper carton on platform (33, and atA the sam-e time the fan forces the air through pipe 118 and tube 122 discharging sai-d air at the edges of several. of the uppern'iost cartons 83 on the platform (13 thereby slightly raising said cartons and especiallyY the upper one, whereupon theA suetion in tubes 113 will draw and firmly hold the top cart-on on their lower ends thereby closing said ends and creating suetion in the tubes in. eonsequenee vzhmeof the air no longer passes out of discharge tube 122, and the cartons imn'iediately beneath the upper one` which have been slightly raise-d by the air from discharge tube 122, Will thereupon settle'back onto the stack of cartons. The tubes 113 are arranged to extend with their lower ends substantially to the corners of the carton, and arra ed or bent so as to suit the Vsize of carton o VY :ated upon With the machine.

Means is provided for supporting the rupper carton as soonas the same is held, by said tubes 113, slightly elevated above the remaining cartons` and this means comprises a lower side plate 127 at each side of the carton which moves beneath the side edges thereof (see Figs. 14 and 15)-, and an upper platel 128 which engages above the carton at eac-heide thereof and which is adjustabl-y mounted on the plate 127 by means off bracket arms 129v having slots 129 through which extend pins'130 fastened on plate 121'. rlhe plates' 127 have T-arins- 131 thereon which are slidable in T-grooves 132 on horizont-al guide arms 133 extending from brackets 13d fastened with an arm 131 on framev 38y (see Figs. 5 and 1346)-, and with f an arm 131" onto frame members 35 and 36. The plates 12'4- and 128` at each side of the machine are operated by an angular leve'r 135 (see Figs. 15 and 1G) having a forked end 136 which enga-ges a stud .screw 13T on plates 127 and l128 provided at each side of the frame for receiving the sides of the carton. Said shaft 1115 has a bevelled pinion 146 thereon which meshes with a pinion 11T on a shaft 1/"8 journalled in boxes 14) mounted on 'trame member 35 (see Figs. 2 and 5),

said shaft 148 carrying a bevelled gear 150v meshing with a bevelled gear 151 on they vertical shaft 66 (see Figs. 1 and The movement of .shaft with cam roller 14st thereon oseillates lever 135 and thereby moves plates 127 and 128 out of the Way the upper carton when the same is being elevated by the suction mechanism, and moves said plates in engagement With said upper carton toY hold and guide the same during the dis-- clmrge-thereof, when the suction mechanism is beingl elevated and removed from said upper carton. The@ plates 12T and 128 with the levers 135 and associated mechanism are made and arranged to be adjustable so that they will be adapted to fit various Widths of cartons to be operated on and fed by the machine.

Means is provided for carrying away the upper carton when it is supported by plates 127 and 128, and this means` comprises a shoe 152 (see Figs. 1 and 13) provided en one of the links of a discharge chain 153 tJavelliun` over an idler sprocket 1511 which is rotatably mounted on shaft 1115, and said chain is driven by a sproeket 155 pinned to 156 journalled in the lower part ofv bearing.. 157 mounted on upright members 31 and 32. The shaft 156 carries a pinion 158 operating a gear 159 on a stud shaft 1GO journalled in the upper part of bearings 15.7 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5). Shaft 1GO also carries a pini-on 161 meshing with a gear 162 mounted-on a stud shaft 163 journalled in fame member and carrying a bevelled gear 164i which meshes with the bevelled gear 165 fastened on vertical drive shaft 66. Said gears 165 to 158 step up or increase the speed of shaft 156 four times to the speed of vertical drive shaft 66, in order to provide a complete revolution or the proper length of travel to the chain 153 with its shoe 152 for dischargilig the top carton from the machine onto the track means 166 or any similar suitable means for receiving the discl'iarged carton.

T he main frame construction comprises four similar sections (see Figs, 6 and 8) including four supporting plates or platforms 63, each for supporting a stack of cartons thereon, as explained heretofore, and n'ieans for swinging this frame, when one stack of cartons has been fed, so as to bring the next stack of cartons and platform into feeding position. As shown in the drawings the present construction comprises four sections with supporting platforms 63, and the fran'ie is swung one-fourth turn when the platform which is in :feeding position, has been emptied and moved to its elevated position. The construction for rotating the 'frame coniprises the main shaft (see Figs. 3 and 8) which has a cam member 167 keyed to its lower end and provided with cam teeth on the upper surface which engage cani teeth on the lower surface of a gear 168 mounted to rotate with and to slide on said main shaft 56. The gear 168 meshes with and is actuated by a rack bar 169 which has a plate 170 Yfastened thereunder and being slidably supported on frame 30, said plate being held in position by guide slices 171. A link 172 (see Figs. 1, 6 and 7) is pivoted to said plate 17e and is driven by a crank arm 173 of a bell crank fastened on a shaft 17a joui-nailed in a bearing 175 mounted on vertical post 32, said shaft 174 being driven by a sprocket 176 and a chain 177 operating thereon and driven by a sprocket 178 fas'- ened on the outer flange 179 of a bushing 179 which is loosely mounted on the main drive shaft 445 at the upper part of the machine (see Figs. 1 and 18).

'lhe means provided for rotating the main 'frame with the carton platforms, includes a lug 18() on plate 170 fastened on rack bar 169 Fig. 7), said lug engaging a roller 181 at the end of lever 92 and operates said lever during the movement of the crank arm 173, to disconnect the bevelied gear 91 from gear 58, in'unediately before the swinging or rotating of the fran'ie, and holds said gears disconnected during the quarter turn Athereof. The rear part of rack 16S) operates a gear 182 see Figs. 3 and 7) mounted on a shaft 183 jonrnalled with its lower end in base 30 and with its upper end in a bearing bracket 184 extending up from the base.

Said shaft 183 has fixed thereto a disc 185 with a raised portion or cam 186 which operates a roller 187 on one end of a lever 188 fulcrunicd in a bracket 189 mounted on base 3l). l'he other end of said lever moves in a slot 19t) provided in a vertical post 191 (see Figs. 7 and 9) which is slidable in a block 192 n'iounted on base member 30. r1`he upper end of said post carries a brake shoe 193 having its ends slidably engaging on .vertical posts 't9-1; fastened with their lower ends in base 3i). Springs 195 normally hold the shoe in its upper or operative position and hold its ends 193 between the side bars of triangular members 53 at the rear partof the machine, or at the left-hand end as seen in Fig. 6.

The rearward n'ioveinent of rack bar 169, or its moven'ient to the left-hand side as seen in Fig. 7, turns the cams on the lower end of gear 168 (see Figs. 3 and 8) idly over the cams on the upper face of member 167 and does not turnthe vertical shaft 50 or the iframe, but upon the forward movement of ic rack bar, or the movement toward the ght as indicated by arrow a in Fig. 7,

he cams on the lower face of gear 168 ,bitches and operates the cams on member 167 and therewith rotates the attached main supportinn` shaft 5() and the frame sections and platforms 63 supported thereon, 'for one quarter revolution in clock-wise direction, thus bringing the next platform into discharging position toward the forward part the machine, or the right-hand part as seen in Figs. 3 and 7; during which time gear 182 has moved lever 188 (see Figs. 3 and 7) by means of the lug 186 on disc 185, and thereby has withdrawn the brake shoe '193 from its holding or locking position between the triangular frame members 53; and at the same time the lug 180 on plate 170 or rack bar y169 has actuated lever 92 and has thereby withdrawn bevelled gear 91 from gear 58, thus freely permitting the turning of the 'frame with the carton supporting platforms.

'1` he means 'for automatically actuating the above frame turning mechanism comprises lugs 196 (see Figs. 1, 6, 8 and 13) at'the sides of plates or platforms 63, and these lugs, when the platforms are in their extreme upper position engage and operate a roller 197 mounted in the lower end of a bent rod 198 which is made adjustable by means of a screw-sleeve 199 and which has its upper end attached to a lever 206 (see especially l*l 1 and 18) :fulcrumed on a pivot stud 201. provided on bracket member k12. Each triangular 'frame 52 is notched at the upper corner edges 197 to permit the roller 197 to pass freely above the same during the rotation of the frame and carton supporting mechanism. By elevating the rod 198 the lever 200 is swung so as to re- 

